Like just about everyone else on this board, I'm in the throes of a 20-minute

[Jackpine Radical]

manic-depressive cycle that shoots up to a wildly optimistic ("Landslide! Blowout!") high, plunging moments later to deep despair (They're gonna steal it again. Voter purges! Rigged machines!).

But when I sit back and think for a minute, the following points leap out at me:

1) Obama has already come out of nowhere to capture the nomination. Given where thins stood a year ago, this was no small feat, and argues for considerable political skill.

2) If the election is honest, Obama has at least a 95% chance of winning.

3) The obama people have demonstrated great agility in responding to right-wing nonsense. As a prime example, the Corsi book gained no traction whatsoever, mostly due to the work of O's Rapid Response team, who had their detailed refutations out there immediately--and they got great press coverage for their rebuttals. Corsi ended up looking like a frothing lunatic. Obama has a similar, ongoing machine for shooting down email filth and disseminating truth.

4) In both Michigan and Wisconsin, Republican voter purges have failed because the Obama forces got them into court or otherwise jammed them up right away.

Now, I have to assume that Obama is at least aware of the existing threats to honest voting as is the average DUer. Given his track record as enumerated above, is it likely that he has no contingency plans for these obvious threats? I have no idea what those defensive plans might be. Maybe they are approaches that involve some element of surprise and cannot be revealed ahead of time. But I really have to think that he, who has so effectively handled the other challenges to his candidacy, must also have a strategy here too.

[Bicoastal]

1. The GOP simply doesn't have any power any more...

...they have no political capital left to burn.

[OwnedByFerrets]

6. They may have no power, but they still control the

damned voting software which is NOT verifiable. I will breathe a big sigh of relief on 11-5 when we turn out more votes than they can steal.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

9. I would argue that they have plenty of power given to them by the

same corporations that bought them. That doesn't mean they can't be defeated as we've been seeing. I do agree that the political capital that The Little Prince used to brag so much about is pretty much gone.

[AndyTiedye]

13. They Still Have the Networks, the Churches, the Courts, and the Voting Machinez

They are engaged in the biggest voter purge ever.
They have already stolen Colorado and possibly Ohio.

[nichomachus]

2. This is where it helps to be a Red Sox fan

We have spent decades in this cycle -- not able to relax, even when the Sox had a 10-run lead going into the ninth inning.

So, while you folks are tearing your hair out, we just go get another beer and stoically wait for the outcome.

[prolesunited]

7. But what if you're a lifelong Cubs fan?

:shrug:

[Marsala]

8. Then there is just no hope for you, both parties agree

Obama and McCain said so in the last SNL debate.

[Mz Pip]

3. Me, too

I made the mistake of turning on Faux Noise this morning and they were talking about 1980 when reagan came from 4 points behind befoe the 3rd debate and went on to win it by 5 and Gor who was 11 points up at the beginning of October. We all know how that worked out. They even mentioned Dewey.

By November 5th I am going to need a long vacation on a quiet beach somewhere, except I can't afford it.

[rucky]

4. There are tons of lawyers on-hand.

If we have some IT-savvy poll-watchers, too, it's safe to say we're ready for anything.

[AndyTiedye]

10. As Long as They Don't Declare Another Fake "Terror Alert" And Throw Out ALL the Poll Watchers

like they did last time.

[lizzieforkerry]

11. It doesn't matter

They let Kerry's lawyers in when they locked everyone else out in Warren County and stole it right under their noses.

[begin_within]

5. Does this make you feel better:

[asdjrocky]

12. Love that bottom picture. nt

[tigereye]

14. get out on the campaign and do your part (if you aren't already)

it's the perfect antidote to that fear and what have you.

The election is still 3 weeks away and we should be working like we are behind. Polls aren't always right. Again, considering the 2006 election wasn't stolen, I think this one is pretty safe.